Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Luke 15:4
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
What man of you having an hundred sheep, etc.] A flock of sheep, consisting of such a number; (see Gill on “<401812>Matthew 18:12”), if he lose one of them, by straying from the flock, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, upon the common where they were feeding, and go after that which is lost until he find it? by which parable Christ vindicates his conduct in conversing with sinners, and neglecting the Scribes and Pharisees; for if it was right for an owner of an hundred sheep, when he had lost one of them, to leave all the rest, and go in search after that one till he had found it; then it was right in Christ to do what he did. The Jewish nation seems to be designed “by the hundred sheep”, who are frequently represented as a flock of sheep, (<197720>Psalm 77:20, 95:7, 100:3, <263402> Ezekiel 34:2,3,30,31) which are divided into ninety nine, and one: for by the “ninety nine” left in the wilderness, cannot be meant angels, as some have thought; for angels are never called sheep; and besides, the one lost sheep is of the same kind with the ninety and nine; and, according to this sense, must design an angel, or angels likewise; whereas none of the fallen angels are sought up, recovered, and saved. Moreover, when Christ became incarnate, he did not leave the angels; they accompanied and attended him in his state of humiliation; and much less in a wilderness, and still less can heaven be so called; to which may be added, that the angels in heaven are distinguished from the ninety nine as well as from the one lost sheep in (<421507>Luke 15:7,10) nor can elect men be designed by them, who are already called by grace, whether they be in heaven or on earth; for though they in heaven are the spirits of just men made perfect, and are in a state that need no repentance, yet it cannot be said of them, that they went not astray, as in (<401813>Matthew 18:13) for all God's people have been like sheep going astray, and were as such considered when Christ was here on earth, and bore their sins; and especially those could never be said to be left in a wilderness: nor the saints on earth: for though they are just persons, being justified by the righteousness of Christ, yet they daily need repentance; nor can it be said of them that they went not astray; nor are they left by Christ in the wilderness of this world; nor can there be more joy in heaven over one repenting sinner, than over these; but the selfrighteous Scribes and Pharisees, that murmured at our Lord's receiving sinners, are meant. These were sheep, at least were in sheep's clothing; they were nominal professors, and belonged to the Jewish fold, or national church state; their number was ninety nine, to one; which is not to be taken strictly, as though only one in a hundred of them were saved; but it shows, that the greater part of the Jews were of this sort. The dividing of an hundred after this manner, into ninety nine and one, was usual with the Jews; so in their traditions f447, concerning distributing filberts to the poor, “R. Simeon says, if “ninety nine” say “divide”, and “one” says spoil, or scatter, they hearken to him, because he speaks according to the constitution; but of a vine and date, it is not so: if “ninety and nine” say spoil, and “one” says divide, they hearken to him, for he speaks according to the constitution.” And elsewhere f448 they say, ““ninety and nine” die by an (evil) eye, and “one” by the hand of heaven; R. Chanina and Samuel, both of them say…
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